Fresno State held its 68th annual Peach Blossom Festival of Oral Interpretation from March 19-20.
Over 4,000 students from kindergarten through sixth grade visited Fresno State to perform poetry.
“The purpose I hope to achieve with this event is to plant a positive seed in the hearts and minds of the students participating,” said Dakota Lee-Rasavong, a member of the Peach Blossom Festival outreach committee.
The Peach Blossom Festival began in 1959. Every year, it is hosted by the Department of Communication at Fresno State.
Elementary students across the Central Valley showcased their performance skills and love of literature, performing either solo or in large groups alongside their classmates.
“The students make it so worth it,” Lee-Rasavong said. “At the end of long days, it’s beautiful to see our members still laughing and sharing stories.”
The Peach Blossom Festival is run by Fresno State students. Members on the committee handle scheduling, registration and outreach. Many committee members, including Lee-Rasavong, are Peach Blossom alumni.
Fresno State students also volunteered for the event as chaperones and judges.
“Honestly, it feels great to be a part of something,” said Jacob Arruda, a communications major at Fresno State. “I see all the schools around here, all the kids smiling, so I know they’re having a good time, and I feel like that’s super important to me.”
Arruda said that as a chaperone, he was able to give back to the community and make meaningful connections with Peach Blossom participants. He gave critiques and motivated the students during their time at the festival.
Charlie Bell works in registration and scheduling on the committee. He spoke with The Collegian about how the Peach Blossom Festival is a recruitment opportunity for the university.
“I think it’s important to … open the perspective of some of the kids, you know, maybe they want to attend Fresno State in the future,” Bell said. “Get a good feel for the campus, see what campus life is about.”
The Fresno State Dance Team performed for students on Thursday morning. TimeOut also made an appearance as an initiative by the committee to create a more engaging experience for attendees.
During this year’s Peach Blossom Festival, Fresno State hosted its Spotlight Market in the nearby Memorial Gardens. Parents, teachers and Peach Blossom participants were able to shop from more than 20 student and alumni vendors.